August 03, 2007 08:33 PM UTC

The Transmission Problem

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• by: EnvironmentColorado

If Colorado wants to become a renewable energy exporter the state needs to solve the Transmission Problem, and fast.  Colorado is arguably in an excellent position to export clean energy.  We have the 5th best solar potential in the nation and the 11th best wind energy potential and are on the Eastern edge of most of the nation’s renewable resources, strategically placed to serve the population-heavy eastern cities.  Though we might have the resources and the technology is becoming more efficient every day, we have no way of transmitting this energy. 

Since Colorado’s renewable resources are mostly located in places that have hardly any transmission lines, transmission lines would need to be created.  What needs to happen is that the transmission lines need to be built before the wind or solar farms are constructed and this is completely changing how transmission lines are planned and built.  Renewable energy is on the rise, Colorado is aggressively pursuing it, and clean energy policies are being similarly pursued at the national level.

The expensiveness of transmission should also not be a deterrent.  The reality is that our grid needs an upgrade anyway so it’s going to happen regardless – why not at least make sure that we set our electricity grid up for the future of energy, not it’s dirty past?  Furthermore, the large solar and wind companies, I’m talking the big giants here, already factor in the price of transmission into their cases. 

So while the financial commitment to build transmission lines is an issue, the big road-block is all the political hoop-jumping.  Senate Bill 100 called for utilities to identify renewable energy zones and then create plans to develop these areas.  SB 100 also allowed utilities to recover costs for their transmission investments.  The longer we debate, the longer we prolong Colorado’s opportunity to take the lead and be a renewable energy exporter.  The industry is ready, the policies are there: we need to spend less time haggling over the transmission question.